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Deva Premal

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Deva Premal
Deva Premal in October 2006
Deva Premal in October 2006
Background information
Birth nameJolantha Fries
Born (1970-04-02) 2 April 1970 (age 54)
Nürnberg, Germany
SpouseAndy Desmond (Miten)

Jolantha Fries[1] (born 2 April 1970), known professionally as Deva Premal, is a German singer known for her performances of Sanskrit mantras. Her music is composed and produced with Prabhu Music. Her album Deva (2018) was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best New Age Album at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards.[2][3][4]

Biography

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Premal met her partner, Miten, at the Osho International Meditation Resort in Pune, India, in 1990, where she was studying reflexology, shiatsu, craniosacral therapy and massage.[5] They have toured together since 1992, offering concerts and chant workshops.[6]

In July 2005, Premal chanted the Gayatri Mantra for her father as he was dying. She recounted the experience: "We kept singing for what must have been over half an hour when suddenly the monitor showed that he was about to leave. I continued to sing, and the last sound he heard as he passed on was his beloved 'Gayatri Mantra'. Finally, we ended with the mantra Om, and the circle was complete. He had welcomed me onto this planet with the 'Gayatri,' and I accompanied him out of this physical existence with it."

In an interview with LA Yoga Magazine,[7] Premal discussed the effect of chanting mantras:[8] "The meaning is secondary...with Sanskrit, the word ananda is the sound vibration of bliss... It's working on a cellular level."

Premal's chants have been used in various contexts. Cher featured Premal's version of the "Gayatri Mantra" on her Farewell Tour,[9] and Russian prima ballerina Diana Vishneva danced to Premal's "Gayatri" in Moses Pendleton's F.L.O.W. series.[10] Edward James Olmos reportedly gave copies of Premal's "Gayatri Mantra" to the cast and crew of Battlestar Galactica,[11] and cited her music as inspiration for his role as Commander Adama.[12] He also used "Om Hraum Mitraya" from Premal's album Dakshina (2005) in his HBO movie Walkout.

Premal and Miten performed for The Dalai Lama at a 2002 conference in Munich, Germany, on "Unity in Duality".[13] They sang the Tara Mantra, reportedly his favorite.[14]

Premal's Tibetan Mantras for Precarious Times (2010) was recorded with the Gyuto Monks of Tibet. It features eight mantras each chanted 108 times.[citation needed]

Music and information

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Premal and Miten say they use a "natural selection" process to choose mantras for their albums. Premal prefers Sanskrit mantras.[citation needed] She has stated that removing her ego from her understanding of the mantra allows its true meaning to be expressed.[5] She describes their work as being "messengers of a 5,000-year-old tradition."[5] Her vocal range is contralto.[citation needed]

Discography

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  1. 1997 – Trusting the Silence (with Miten)
  2. 1998 – The Essence
  3. 1998 – Strength of a Rose (with Miten)
  4. 2000 – Love Is Space
  5. 2002 – Embrace
  6. 2002 – Satsang (with Miten)
  7. 2003 – Songs for the Inner Lover (with Miten)
  8. 2004 – More Than Music (with Miten)
  9. 2005 – Dakshina
  10. 2005 – Live in Byron Bay (with Miten)
  11. 2007 – Sings the Moola Mantra
  12. 2007 – Soul in Wonder (with Miten and Manose)
  13. 2008 – Into Silence
  14. 2009 – In Concert – The Yoga of Sacred Song and Chant (with Miten and Manose)
  15. 2009 – Mantras for Precarious Times
  16. 2009 – DevaSonic Vol 1
  17. 2009 – DevaSonic Vol 2
  18. 2009 – Download Singles (with Miten)
  19. 2010 – Into Light
  20. 2010 – Tibetan Mantras for Turbulent Times
  21. 2011 – Password
  22. 2013 – 21-Day Mantra Meditation Journey (with Miten)
  23. 2013 – A Deeper Light (with Miten and Manose)
  24. 2013 – MantraLove (with Miten)
  25. 2014 – Mantras for Life (with Miten and Manose)
  26. 2014 – The Spirit of Mantra (21-Day Mantra Meditation Journey, Vol. II) (with Miten)
  27. 2015 – Songs for the Sangha (with Miten and Manose)
  28. 2016 – Cosmic Connections Live (with Miten and Manose)
  29. 2018 – Deva
  30. 2022 – Timeless (with Miten)
  31. 2024 – All the Birds Fly Home (Live, with Miten)

Notes

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  1. ^ "Die heilsame Kraft der Klänge" (in German). nordbayern.de. 23 October 2017. Retrieved 15 October 2019.
  2. ^ "'Deva' nominated for the 2020 Grammy Awards | Osho News". 24 November 2019. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
  3. ^ Times, Nepali (23 November 2019). "First Nepali to be nominated for a Grammy Award". nepalitimes.com. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
  4. ^ "Deva Premal | Artist | GRAMMY.com". grammy.com. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
  5. ^ a b c Brachfeld, Aaron (2 June 2013). "An Interview with Deva Primel". the Meadowlark Herald. Archived from the original on 18 June 2013. Retrieved 8 June 2013.
  6. ^ Dubrovsky, Anna. Yoga Rock Stars Archived 21 October 2010 at the Wayback Machine, Yoga International, September 2008.
  7. ^ Slovik, Sam. Soul Balancing: Path of the Sacred Road Dog Archived 29 December 2010 at the Wayback Machine, LA Yoga Magazine, March 2010.
  8. ^ Shapiro, Ed & Deb. Do Mantras Really Work, Huffington Post, 20 October 2009.
  9. ^ Tsering, Lisa. "Cher Chants Gayatri Mantra At Her Concerts" Archived 14 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine, Times of London, 5 September 2003.
  10. ^ "Beauty In Motion-F.L.O.W. Part III", YouTube.
  11. ^ Stailey, M. Battlestar Galactica: All Access Archived 1 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine, DVD Verdict Legal Briefs, 8 June 2007.
  12. ^ Ruby, Jamie. "Edward James Olmos: Exclusive Interview With MediaBlvd" Archived 4 January 2011 at the Wayback Machine, Battlestar Aries, 5 August 2009.
  13. ^ Tarab Institute. Unity In Duality-Tendrel Congress Archived 19 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine, Tarab Institute, 10–13 Oct 2002.
  14. ^ Attwood, Janet Bray Songs of the Divine: An interview from the Dialogues with the Masters Series, Healthy Wealthy nWise, Feb 2008.
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